Soft-rag printing roller



Dec. 31, 1929. c. G. HAMPSON 13 L69 SOFT RAG PRINTING ROLLER Filed Dec. 22, 1925 Tiq.2..

I IN VENTOH C/zarZeS' ampsan WMC QM A rromv'n Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOFT-RAG PRINTING ROLLER Application filed'December 22, 1925. Serial No. 77,165.

The invention relates in general to a method of modifying a painted surface while wet to form thereon a design and to an instrumentality for practicing the method. The invention specifically relates to a wall paper printing, or similar surface treating machine of the type in which the paper, canvas or other material is advanced either in sheets or continuous strips along a work path by an endless carrier and printed or otherwise treated by means of a printing roller or other implement constantly or momentarily connecting with the treated side of the travelling strip.

The invention features the formation of a design having a repetition of outlines which are not definitely defined and the details of which differ slightly from each other as the mass designs are duplicated along the length of the surface treated. This is attained by utilizing the suction effect of apertures in a soft fabric or similar printing tool on the coated surface under treatment. As the apertured cloth preferably in a roller form contacts with the coated paper or other surface it appears to raise the portions of the coating opposite the apertures in the cloth and deposits the same to give an irregularity in appearance. This variety in reaction even when the same aperture comes repeatedly in engagement with the coating is caused apparently by differences in suction effect incidental to the rolling of the apertured cloth on the surface. Y

The primary object of the mechanical features of the invention is to provide a simple form of machine of the type outlined which p will produce economically a surface design thereon and in which the design characters are indefinite, vague in both .outline and position and displaying a form of surface which is not a stipple and which does not show any sharp lines of demarcation between the different shades forming the same and which will present a soft pleasing tonal effect over the entire surface.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from a consideration of the preferred method of practicing the invention hereinafter described and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one method and of one form of apparatus for practicing the method and the invention also consists in certain new and novel operations and features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

1n the drawings Figure '1 is a perspective view showing diagrammatically certain elements of a paper coating machine equipped with a roller constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the roller covering laid out fiat to show its characterizing preparations.

In the drawings there is shown in general a relatively long supporting frame 10 provided with an endless carrier 11 trained about I end drums 13 and 14 and preferably in the form of a rubber or other pliable and flexible material belt. It is understood that the roller shall be at all times in operative engagement with the coated side of the paper, or the paper may be-vertically movable to cause either and actual bodily movement of the coated side of the paper into engagement with the roller, or to vary the intensity of engagement between the paper and roller in those situations Where it is desired that the paper be at all times in physical contact with the working surface of the roller.

The roller 20 is carried on a shaft 24 mounted at opposite ends in pairs of transversely disposed journals 25 and mounted in arts of the frame 10 at opposite sides of the belt. The roller20 is formed for its major part of soft rubber preferably sponge or suction rubber, and in this respect follows conventional forms of such printing rollers. The feature of this disclosure is, the print- 1n sit ioned on the rubber core of the roller. This surface as shown in Fig. 2 is formed of a layer 26 of some soft, easily compressible material; flannel, felt and wool have been used surface formed by the covering 19, po-

in actual practice. Prior to being positioned on the roller this soft fabric is perforated to form a series of cut-out portions 27. No

parently becomes more'irregular as the covered roller is brought into pressing engagernent with the coated side of the paper.

In actual practice the covering 19 is first perforated and the long edges are secured together to form a long cylinder which has a somewhat loose lit on the suction sponge rubber. l

I In operation let it he assiuned that the upper side of the paper or other material has been coated from a coating device 26' with the coloring materials usually used in methods of this character, and that it is beingfed by the belt past the roller,

The soft material of which the roller covering is formed and the apertures therein apparently absorbs varying amount of the coloring material and spreads or distributes the same irregularly over the coated surface. The soft sponge surface exposed through the cut-out portions causes a piling up or ridging of the coating material but this of course is not continuous as would be the case if the cut out felt were omitted, There Will be produced a surface on the paper or other rial which Will be completely covered with the coloring material but with the coloring material irregularly distributed. with varying degrees of depth and producing pleasing appearance With soft toning effects,

The resulting design. is peculiar in appear ance and novel in the art While there is a distinct and noticeable design resent, it is Without regularity in form. lien used in designing Wall paper, no difficulty is expe rienced in matching strips for any part of one strip will blend in with an part the next adjacent strip and the matching line will. not be noticed.

Having thus described claim:

1. In the art of preparing a soft finished design to a coated surface, the method which includes the step of subjecting the surface to the rolling action of a soft fabric having irregular shaped cut-out portions and causing the cut-out portions to act by suction efiect on the coated surface While permitting a limmy invention,

ited movement to the edges of the fabric defining the cutouts i 2.' in a device of-the class described, a rollor for engaging the material as it is carried past the same, said'roller being formed of a core of soft rubber and having on its surface means for forming a predefined design on the material, said means including a layer of soft syn-t ese fabric provided with plurality irregular cutout portions,

3. A roller for use in forming decorative designs on painted surfaces, comprising a roller having a core of soft rubber and a covering of felt provided With cut-out portions.

4:. A tool fhr use in modifying a painted. surface, and thus impress a design thereon, said tool comprising a backing of sponge rubher faced with a layer of soft fabric having a plurality of apertures extending there through and exposing the sponge rubber backing,

5. A roller for use in forming decorative designs on painted surfaces, comprising a core having on its cylindrical face a layer of soft iihrous material having a somewhat loose fit on the core and saidlayer having irregularly shape and irregularly disposed cut-out portions defined by ragged edges Signed at New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 13th day of July, A. D. 1925.

CHARLES G. HAMPSQN, 

